Build Your Career

 

Step 1 - Brand Development

Our Process

Identify, Select and Articulate your brand. Consider your true skills, interests, preferences, not only the skills, interests and preferences you are comfortable and familiar with.

Step 1 - Develop your Brand: We will assist you in beginning the process of identifying your brand. Ideally this process should be well underway if you have been working on phase one - discover your self and your career.

We will provide you with a list of words you can consult to identify words you would use to describe yourself. From this list we will begin to identify your preferred brand characteristics. We will assist you with crafting a brand that best represents your authentic self and career goals.

We will also assist you in developing effective brand statements and matching your brand to various industries or employers.

Our goal is to help you to identify a brand you are comfortable with and which represents you to others. It is not always easy to identify your brand and it is often very difficult to clearly articulate it. This is something we have a knack for, just as you have a knack for your industry.

Step 2 - Showcase your Brand: Through the consultation process we will identify the best options for showcasing your brand. Then we can assist you in the creation of brand materials such as a resume, cover letter, networking card, imaging and in-person and social media networking and engagement.

The best brand in the world is of no value if you do not present it to others effectively. The resume is not the only way to present your value.  . . .

Stage 1 - Develop your Portfolio

Costs range from $150  (basic review) - up to $1,800 (for the full executive portfolio package)
     - Professional Brand assessment and articulation
     - Resume and Cover Letter Consultation
     - Executive \ Speakers Bio’s
     - Social Media Profile Building - LinkedIn
     - Online Portfolios (Artisan, marketers, visual communicators, writers and more)
     - Networking (Business) Card Development
    
Can you articulate your value, skills, focus in a few key words, statements, themes?

Can you present your brand in writing and in person? 

Are you an effective self-marketer?

Before you begin to seek your first career job you will need to pull together your portfolio. Ideally you have been compiling information about your qualifications, skills and experiences (including references, performance reviews, feedback) throughout the process). Before you actively begin your job search you will want to pull together this information in a way that effectively communicates and targets your preferred career.

Before you actively begin the job search process you need to know how you want to present yourself. Effective self-marketing is the key to obtaining the job you want.

Your Portfolio should reflect your all of the experiences, accomplishments, qualifications that you want to showcase.

Begin with the first step of Developing your Professional Brand

Your
should not be viewed as narrowing or limiting your reach. Your Brand is about you, not about what you do or where you can do it. Developing your brand requires you to first identify and then showcase your brand.


The process of building your career is, of course, ongoing; from the moment you begin to evaluate, assess, understand your career interests and options, as you obtain education and training, gain experience and as you manage your career. However, there is a time in your career process when Building your career takes centre stage. This is the phase where you prepare to transition from where you are to where you want to be.

Step 2 - Develop Your Portfolio Material

Targeted, Branded Portfolio materials effectively showcase your brand to potential employers.

Once you have clarified your brand you need to communicate it consistently on paper, online and in-person.

Our Process

Create your baseline communication materials - your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, social media identity and broadcast speech.

Step 1 -  We will review your existing job search portfolio materials and provide you with feedback on how to communicate your Brand to market yourself to specific employers.

Step 2 - We will begin with your Resume, a Bio and a LinkedIn profile. Your resume should be targeted to each specific job, industry and employers. However, your LinkedIn profile and other online visual resumes will need to be broad, but still consistent with and support your resume.

Your resume needs to effectively communicate your ability to do the job you are applying for and not simply repeat details of your past experiences. Write your resume to connect to the new employer and not to remind you of your past accomplishments.

Focus your resume on what you have to offer, your accomplishments and your unique skills and abilities. Remember, your resume should showcase your brand. This requires you to identify your brand Themes and communicate these throughout your resume. Do not include generic sentences which could appear on anyones resume. Lines such as ‘Excellent Communication Skills’, “Good Team Player’, “Analytical Problem Solver’ should never appear on your resume in these simple phrases. You have to focus on how your abilities will add value and benefit an employer.  You must be able to translate your past experiences (and Brand) to the job you are targeting. Do not expect an employer to figure out how you will fit - you make the connection clear.


Step 3
- Your cover letter should stand alone and can serve as the basis for online communications with potential employers and network contacts. An effective cover letter needs to communicate your interest and ability to do the job. Your cover letter should not repeat your resume, it should not repeat facts, details, dates and job titles from your resume. Your Cover letter needs to demonstrate how you will do the job the employer is seeking to fill.

On your cover letter you will establish your key skills and qualifications quickly and then express how these will enable you to do something for the employer. We have an expression we use when talking about effective cover letters (and interview).

Step 4 - It is often one thing to have help creating written materials and another to effectively communicate a consistent message during Networking communications.

With a solid brand and supporting written job search materials you will have the basis of effective networking communications. These communications may occur in person (networking meetings, informational interview, interviews) and through electronic and social media communications (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, online communities)

Can Your Communicate your Story with Confidence and Clarity?

Rehearsal, feedback and review are keys to consistent communication of your brand during network communications. You must thoroughly understand and communicate your own story.

One of the more significant challenges we see when working with clients is the ability to effectively communicate your story and brand when you have suffered a set back or are returning to the job market after a long layoff. The set back could include losing a job, personal illness or loss or taking time away from work for family, personal or education purposes. Whether you are retuning to a previous career filed or changing fields your ability to Sell Your STORY will often make or break your job search success. 

We see many job seekers who are tired, depressed, defeated or simply lack confidence. Hiring managers will often very quickly pick up on this and it will be a potential red flag. Regardless of your age or level of experience you can struggle with network communications. However, if you are an older worker (over 40) this can be particularly troublesome. It is often easier for a younger worker to appear more confident and energetic and, as a result, a more viable candidate.  We have also seen 40+ job seekers who appear too eager and enthusiastic and may come across as desperate or unmanageable. Fair or not, this is a trend we see frequently. With a well prepared and rehearsed story you can improve your odds of obtaining the job you want.

A brand that is authentic and well articulated and fits with a narrative of where you came from and where you want to go can help you find the job you want!

 

PHASE 3

Building Your Career


Phase 3  -  3 Stage Process: Portfolio Building,  Job Search Strategies, Interview Preparation


Services Range from $150 for an introductory review  - $2,000 for a full executive package (This will include assistance with brand, resume, job search, interview and more)

Develop your

Portfolio


SHOWCASE YOUR BRAND

Build Your Resume 3 ways

Paper based

Virtual - Social

Video


Social Media Presence and Engagement

Linkedin

Facebook

Twitter


Cover Letters


Network Communication

Your BRAND

Can you select 6 words to uniquely describe your career focus, philosophy, contributions?


Can you craft 3 sentences which capture your career theme


Your Brand includes

Your Skills

Your Image

Your Focus

Does your Cover Letter offer more than your resume?

Does your Cover Letter STAND ALONE?

Do your words and image support your Brand?


Can you communicate your value in person?


Do You Know Your Story?

People ultimately hire people.

In our social media connected world you can still build personal relationships and connections via electronic communications.


Your Personal story is your best marketing tool This does not mean details about your personal life, this means the ability to communicate who you are, what matters to you, what you want to do and have to offer effectively across different communications mediums